Autonomous truck loader and unloader.

(54) Title: AUTONOMOUS TRUCK LOADER AND UNLOADER.

(54) Title: AUTONOMOUS TRUCK LOADER AND UNLOADER.

(57) Summary

An autonomous device 100 for loading and unloading trucks 10 comprises a movable body 120, a robotic arm, 140, and a body conveyor system 130 for transporting cartons 12 during loading and unloading. A manipulator 142 attaches to a movable end of the robotic arm and is maneuverable within the strict limits of the truck. The manipulator picks up a row of articles 15 in a first position 16 and leaves the row of articles in a second position 17. The manipulator is reconfigurable to suit both positions.

(57) Abstract

An autonomous device (100) for loading and unloading trucks (10) comprises a mobile body (120), a robot arm (140) and a body conveyor system (130) to convey cartons (12) during loading and unloading. A manipulator (142) aftaches to a moveable end of the robot arm and is maneuverable within the tight confines of the truck. The manipulator picks up a row of articles (15) at a first location (16) and places the row of articles down at a second location (17). The manipulator is reconfigurable to match to both locations.

AUTONOMOUS TRUCK LOADER AND UNLOADER

RELATED REQUESTS

The present application claims the benefit of the priority of the provisional USA application number 61/973188, entitled ROBOTIC TRUCK LOADER WITH ALTERNATE VACUUM MEAD, filed on March 31, 2014 and assigned to the assignee hereof, the provisional USA application number 61/985417, entitled DOUBLE ACTING FLUIDIC CYLINDER FOR MATERIAL HANDLING, filed on April 28, 2014 and assigned to the assignee hereof, the contents of each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This patent application is also a continuation in part of patent application number 14 / 279,694, entitled ROBOTIC CARTON UNLOADER, filed May 6, 2014, pending, and assigned to the assignee hereof and is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention relates generally to vehicles loading and unloading trucks, and more particularly is directed to an autonomous truck loader and unloader. The invention will be disclosed in relation to, but not necessarily limited to, the autonomous truck loader and unloader with a reconfigurable article handler.

BACKGROUND

Trucks and trailers loaded with cargo and products move across the country to deliver products at commercial loading and unloading docks in stores, warehouses and distribution centers. Trucks can have a trailer mounted to the truck, or they can have a semi-trailer tractor setup. In order to reduce overall costs in retail stores, the quantities of product in store have been reduced, and products in transit are now counted as part of the store's available stock. Quickly unloading trucks at warehouse unloading docks and regional distribution centers has taken on a new role as a way to replenish depleted inventory.

Trucks can be loaded with forklifts if the loads are palletized, and with manual labor if the products are separate items. Using human workers to unload and load large loads onto trucks can be physically difficult, and it can be costly due to the time and labor involved. Accordingly, there is a significant need for an improved autonomous device that can quickly load and unload truck trailers, faster than human workers and at reduced cost.

SUMMARY

A simplified summary of the invention is presented below to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key / critical elements of the invention or to delimit the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified way, as a prelude to the more detailed description that follows.

In one aspect of the object of the invention, an autonomous device for loading and unloading trucks is disclosed. The autonomous device comprises a mobile body and a robotic arm coupled to the mobile body to load and unload 15 articles. The body conveyor system is fixed to the mobile body to transport cardboard boxes, the conveyor thereof being displaced in a first direction to feed articles to the robotic arm for loading, and movable in a second direction to displace unloaded articles on the same. out of the truck. A manipulator is attached to a movable end of the robotic arm and is maneuverable inside the truck. The manipulator picks up a row of articles in a first position and leaves the row of articles in a second position. The manipulator can be configured to accommodate the orientation of the articles in the first position, and can be reconfigured to adapt the orientation of the row of articles to the second position.

To achieve the foregoing and related objectives, certain illustrative aspects of the invention are described herein in conjunction with the following description and accompanying drawings. However, these aspects are indicative of only a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be used, and it is envisaged that the scope of the invention includes all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows an isometric view of a self-contained truck unloader loaded into a truck.

Figure 2 shows an enlarged isometric view of the autonomous truck unloader of Figure 1, with a configurable manipulator at one end of a robotic arm.

Figure 3 shows a front isometric view of the configurable manipulator of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows a rear isometric view of the configurable manipulator of Figure 3.

Figure 5A shows a front isometric view of one of the individually movable head elements, shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5B shows the front isometric view of Figure 5A with a schematic tube diagram.

Figure 6 shows a cross section of a platform cylinder shown attached to a front portion of the individually movable head member, shown in Figure 5B.

Figure 7 is an isometric view, on a larger scale, of an exchange area of ​​a conveyor of the body shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the manipulator positioned adjacent to it.

Figure 8 is an isometric view showing the opposite side 15 of the exchange area of ​​Figure 7, with an area cut out on the rollers thereof, showing a pneumatically movable yoke extending between the rollers in section, and below thereof.

Figure 9 is a top view showing the exchange area of ​​Figure 8 with articles therein being moved over the manipulator with movable forks.

Figure 10 is an end view of a front portion of a fully loaded truck trailer of Figure 1, showing a stack of items from floor to ceiling, 25 and zones and sides thereof.

Figure 11A shows a side view of the autonomous truck unloader of Figure 1 on a truck, and leaving a first row of items on a left side of a truck floor.

Figure 11B shows an isometric view of the self-contained truck unloader of Figure 11A on the truck, and leaving a second row of items on the right side of a floor of the truck.

Figure 12A shows another second isometric view of the self-contained truck unloader of Figure 11B on the truck, and leaving the second row of items on the right side of the truck.

Figure 12B shows an isometric view of the self-contained truck unloader of Figure 12A on the truck, and loading a row of items on the left side of the truck onto a stack of items.

Figure 13 illustrates a sectional view, showing the front of the truck unloader of Figure 1 and the handler loading a row of items onto the stack of cartons at an angle to push the left row of items.

Figure 14 shows a top view, in section, of the manipulator and truck unloader of figure 13, showing the front of the truck and with the manipulator loading a row of boxes on the right side of the truck and pushing the left row boxes. to the left.

Figure 15 illustrates the top view, in section, of Figure 14, showing the front of the truck loader 5 and with the handler loading a left row of boxes on the left side of the truck.

Figure 16 shows an isometric view of the self-contained truck unloader of Figure 1 onto the truck, and unloading a row of items from a top 10 of a regular item stack onto the truck.

Figure 17 shows a side view of the first unloading stage, where the manipulator of Figure 16 is moving towards the stack of cartons with the rods and suction cups fully extended.

Figure 18 shows a side view of the second unloading stage, where the manipulator of Figure 17 has moved towards the stack of cardboard boxes and the rods have retracted from contact, and the platforms have come into contact with the Item stack below the 20 selected item row.

Figure 19 shows a side view of the third unloading stage, where the manipulator of figure 18 has stopped with respect to the stack of cardboard boxes, and the rods and suction cups are fully retracted to pull the row of items partially out of the stack of cardboard boxes.

Figure 20 shows a side view of the fourth discharge stage, in which the manipulator of Figure 19 is raised to tilt the row of items, as shown.

Figure 21 shows a side view of the fifth unloading stage, in which the platforms of Figure 19 are raised to touch the underside of the row of items, 10 as shown.

Figure 22A shows a side view of the sixth unloading stage, in which the manipulator of Figure 19 is tilted as shown, and is moving away from the stack of cartons.

Figure 22B shows a top view of the seventh and final unloading stage, in which the items picked up by the manipulator of Figure 19 are left on the exchange area of ​​the body conveyor.

Figure 23 shows an isometric view of the self-contained truck unloader 20 of Figure 22B onto the truck, and unloading a row of items from a top of an uneven pile of items onto the truck.

Figure 24 shows an isometric view of Figure 22A, on a larger scale, in which all cartons 25 being unloaded have a different height.

Figure 25 shows an isometric view, on a larger scale, of the underside of the manipulator of Figure 22A.

Figure 26 shows an isometric front view of the manipulator of Figure 22A shown after removing the irregular row of articles, and with the silhouette of the articles to show the irregularly configured manipulator behind them.

Figure 27 shows an isometric front view of the manipulator of Figure 26, shown after reconfiguring the irregular row of articles to a regular row of articles and with the silhouette of the articles to show the manipulator behind them.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed herein, in one aspect thereof, is shown in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises an autonomous load-unload device 100 comprising a mobile body 120 that accesses a truck 10 or trailer , such as from a store, warehouse, or distribution center, and loading or unloading items 12 within 20 limits of the truck with a robotic arm 140 and body carrier 130. To speed up the loading or unloading process, the robotic arm 140 includes a manipulator 142 of the present invention at a free end thereof, which is maneuverable within the limits of the truck to pick up a row 15 of 25 juxtaposed items 12. The manipulator 142 can move row 15 of articles 12 from a first position 16 and leave row 15 of articles 12 in a second position 17. The manipulator 142 is also configurable to adapt the orientation of the row of articles 12 in the first position 16 to pick them up, and reconfigurable to adapt the orientation of the manipulator 142 and of the row of picked articles 12 to the second position 17 before leaving. Articles 12. For example, the manipulator 142 can be configured to an irregular orientation to pick up an irregular row 15 of 10 items 12 resting on an irregular stack of cartons 11 in a first position 16, vertically reconfiguring one or more of the rows 15 of articles 12 to a horizontal orientation, and leaving the reconfigured horizontal row 15 of articles 12 supported therein, on 15 a horizontal surface adapted in the second position 17 (see Figures 23 to 25). In one embodiment, the self-contained loading unloading device 100 may image at least one of the first position 16 and the second position 17, and from said image, configure and reconfigure the manipulator 142 of the present invention to suit to at least one of the first position 16 and the second position 17.

When moving rows 15 of articles 12, the first position 16 and the second position 17 may comprise one or 25 of the body conveyor 130, the floor 18 of the warehouse or truck 10, a row 15 of articles 12 located on the floor 18 and a stack of articles 11 comprising a series of articles 12 stacked in rows 15 on top of one another. Each row 15 moved by the manipulator 142 may be approximately half the width of the truck 10, which means that two rows 15 of articles 12 placed side by side create a complete row 15a of articles 12 that extend from one wall to another. through truck 10. When working with stacks of items 11, the manipulator 142 will take 10 a new row 15 from a top row 15 of the stack of items 11 or it will leave the new row 15 on top of a top row 15 of the stack of items 11. The stacks of articles 11 may be uniform or irregular. Stacks of uniform articles 11 are made up of articles 12 of uniform size 15 and have a horizontal top row 15. The mixed article stacks 11 are made up of more than one size of articles 12, and the top row 15 may be irregular or staggered, as shown in Figures 23 to 25. Although described for use in truck 10, The autonomous loading unloading device 20 100 can also be used in any suitable location such as, but not limited to, a store, a warehouse or a distribution center.

In Figures 1 and 2, the automatic or autonomous loading-unloading device 100 has a mobile body 120 sized 25 to enter and leave the truck 10 on a series of wheels

121. Wheels 122 are motor driven, and can be individually steered. The motors can be electric and powered by batteries (not shown) within the moving body 120, or powered by an electrical cord or cord connected to the self-contained charging device 120. A power control box 123 is mounted on the body 120 and can receive and distribute electrical power necessary for operation. · A system control box 124 is centrally located near one side of the moving body 120 and can provide the logic, image processing, edge recognition, sequential calculation, pneumatic or hydraulic control, vacuum control, the movement of the vehicle and the control of the machine necessary to operate the autonomous load-unload device 100 autonomously or automatically. Although all of these functions are described as being performed by the system control box 124, some or all of the functions described above may be performed at other locations on the autonomous load-unload device 100, such as with the moving body 120. , with the robotic arm 140, with the camera 127 and the like. With the present invention, at least one vision camera 127 can take an initial image of one or more of the first position 16 and the second position 17, and based on said one or more images and whether the task is loading or download, the system control box 124 can determine an appropriate upload or download sequence and then carry out the sequence autonomously and without further display. Once the loading or unloading sequence has been completed, said at least one viewing camera 5 127 can take another snapshot and the process is repeated until the truck 10 has been loaded or unloaded. The vision camera 127 can also be used to provide images for an outside operator to manually direct the autonomous loading unloading device 100 and 10 to search for dropped items 12. Alternatively, images from camera 127 can be received in real time, or before or after actions.

An input / output device 125 is shown wired to the rear of the electronics box 124. The input / output device 125 has various controls, is held by an operator, and has uses that may include: starting / stopping the vehicle, steering and drive controls, test and diagnostic routines, and may include a keypad and display. The numeric keypad 20 and display can also be used to perform software diagnostics, edit or make software modifications, check visual input from at least one vision camera 127, and check system and component responses to feedback. entry. The input / output device 125 can also actuate the autonomous load-unload device 100 and the cameras 27 can display on the screen the path in front of or behind the autonomous load-unload device 100.

A combination air / vacuum pump 126 may be located near the robotic arm 140, and is a supply of both air and vacuum for the self-contained charge-discharge device 100. Although not shown in their entirety, vacuum lines and of air along the exterior of the robotic arm 140 and manipulator 142 for connection 10 thereto.

In Fig. 1, the autonomous loading unloading device 100 is shown operating on a truck 10 having a stepped floor 19, comprising a flat floor part 18 and a raised floor part 18a. The mobile body 120 of the autonomous load-unload device 15 100 may project, at least partially, over the raised floor portion 18a to position the robotic arm 140 in a location that can access any point inside the truck 10 on the 18th floor. The robotic arm 130 can be any available conventional robotic arm 20, with multiple degrees of freedom of movement, such as the YASKAWA MOTOMAN MS80W marketed by YASKAWA America Inc. MOTOMAN Robotics Division at 100 Automation Way, Miamisburg OH 45342. Weights can be set. 128 to a rear of the movable body 120 to counteract the protruding weight of the extended robot arm 140.

Manipulator 142 is shown in Figures 3-6 and comprises three individually movable head elements 160a, 160b, and 160c displaceably coupled to a cross member 162. Each head element 160ac is identical, operates individually, and can pick up, hold and leave one item 12. In operation, one or more head elements 160a-c can be used to move 10 items. As shown, the handler 142 is limited to picking up and leaving a row 15 comprising a maximum of three juxtaposed articles 12, but the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto. Movable head elements 160a-c attached to manipulator 142 are shown in Figures 3 and 4, and head element 160c by itself in Figures

5A and 5B.

Cross member 162 further comprises a rearward extension 164 that secures manipulator 142 to the free end of robot arm 140. Vertical lines 166a, 166b, 166c 20 are attached to cross member 162, and extend vertically therefrom. Each head element 160a-c is fixed to a respective vertical guide 166a-c, and can be independently raised or lowered about a vertical axis 181 of the respective vertical guide 166a-c. Vertical axis 181 includes an arrowhead to indicate the upward or vertical direction. The individual vertical movement of each of the head elements 160a, 160b and 160c allows the manipulator 142 to be configurable in order to adapt to each of the articles 12 in the first position 16 to take them, and to be reconfigurable to adapt the manipulator 142 and the picked articles 12 to the second position 17 before leaving the articles 12 there. The manipulator 142 can also drop articles in one position, and can pick up the same articles 12 from the same position.

A head element 160c will be described in detail below, and the description applies to all head elements 160a-c. Turning now to Figures 3-5B, the head member 160c has linear guides 168 attached to a rear of the face plate 170 to engage with respective vertical guides 166c, and slide vertically thereon. A rack 172 is attached to a rear portion of the faceplate 170, and meshes with a gear 174 on the drive motor 17. 6. The drive motor 176 is attached to the cross member 162 and can drive the head member 160c up and down. by vertical guides 166c. The drive motor 176 can be electric, can include a gear train, and can be used to move the vacuum head 160c vertically up or down. When stopped or braked, the drive motor 176 can also support the vacuum head.

160c in a vertical position. Extension cylinders 178 are attached to the rear of the face plate 170. Each extension cylinder 178 is a conventional double-acting cylinder, and has a vacuum pad 180 attached to a front end of the retractable and extensible rod 179. . A realization to alternative of a double-acting cylinder 365 can replace the double-acting cylinder 178. The cylinder 365 supplies vacuum to the first port 280 of the vacuum pad 180 through the double-acting cylinder 365. The vacuum 10 passes through a rear 378 of the double-acting cylinder 178a and then through a rear chamber 372 thereof, through coiled flexible tube 396. Coiled flexible tube 396 connects vacuum to vacuum pad 180 through hole 392 which extends through extension rod 366 and piston 370. This realization can be found in provisional application number 61/985417, entitled DOUBLE ACTING FLUIDIC CYLINDER FOR MATERIAL HANDLING, filed on April 28, 2014, and assigned to the assignee hereof, all of the contents of which are incorporated in its entirety herein for reference.

In Figures 3 and 4, vacuum cups 180 and rods 179 of head member 160a are shown extended from vacuum head 160c for illustrative purposes. Rear tube connectors 270, 272 connect to a rear chamber of each of the double acting cylinders 178, and front tube connectors 271, 273 connect to a front chamber thereof. An example of the chambers and internal components of a double acting cylinder is shown in cross-section of the deck cylinder 182 of FIG. 6. Although they do not look identical, they both function identically. Applying pressure to the rear tube fittings 270, 272 pressurizes the rear chamber and extends the rods 179 and vacuum cups 180 to the position shown by the head element 160c in Figures 3 and 4. Applying pressure to the front chamber through the front tube fittings 271 and 273 retracts the rods 179 and sets the vacuum cups 180 to the position shown by the head elements 160b and 160c in Figures 3 and 4. It can be applied both positive and negative pressure to each of the front tube fittings 271 and 273 and the rear tube fittings 270, 272. The electronics box 124 can control the timing and application of positive pressure, negative pressures and the opening to the atmosphere for one or more chambers of the extension cylinders 178. An example of this could be to ensure the full extension or retraction of extension cylinders 178, the non-pressurized chamber should open to atmosphere. The extension cylinders 178 are pneumatic, but are not limited to this.

For example, when approaching to acquire a row 15 of items 12 from a stack of items 11, positive 80 psi air can be applied to the rear tube fittings 270, 272 to rapidly extend the rods 179 and suction cups from the manipulator. coupled vacuum 180. The pressure supplied to the rear tube fittings 270, 272 can then be reduced to negative 5 psi, which is not enough to retract the extended rods 179 and attached vacuum cups 180. When 10 the vacuum cups 180 on the extended rods 179 contact the items 12 to grasp them, the contact collapsing the vacuum cups 180 and the rods 179 back toward the manipulator 142. As will be described later, this may be useful in allowing the prongs 189 on the platform 188 to contact the wall of the carton while maintaining contact with an item to be purchased.

A vacuum pad 180 is attached to the exposed end of each rod 179. The vacuum pads 180 are not coaxial 20 with the rod 179 but are offset downward. The vacuum cups 180 further comprise a vacuum port 280 connected to the vacuum side of the air / vacuum pump 126 and a purge line 281 to the pressurized air side of the air / vacuum pump 126. The application of vacuum to vacuum port 281 25 allows vacuum pad 180 to attach to items

12. Applying air to the purge port 281, when the pad 180 is attached to an item 12, breaks the vacuum and starts or releases the item 12 from the vacuum pad 180. The electronics box 124 can control the timing and application 5 of the vacuum and pressurized air or atmospheric purge to vacuum cups 180 with valves (not shown). An example of this may be supplying vacuum to vacuum cups 180 to acquire row 15 of items 12 in the first position, in order to use vacuum in order to retain row 15 of items 12 during travel from the first position 16 through the second position 17, and followed by the opening of the pressure bleed line 281 to break the vacuum in the vacuum cups 180. The application of pressurized air to the suction cup 180 releases the row 15 of 15 items 12 from the vacuum cups 180 in the second position.

Platform cylinder 182, shown in Figures 3-6, is attached to the front of plate 170 and is a double-acting cylinder, movable up and down along vertical direction 181, such as shown in the cross section of FIG. 6. The platform cylinder 182 comprises a cylinder block 183 with a vertically oriented central cylinder 184. A double-acting piston 185 moves vertically within cylinder 184 and is connected to vertical guide shafts 186 via plate 187. Double-acting piston 185 has a front chamber side 185b and a rear chamber side 185a. The double-acting piston 185 moves up or down vertically in response to a pressure increase on the rear chamber 185a side of the piston 185 or the front chamber 185b side of the piston 185. The pressure applied to the side of the rear chamber 185a extends to the shafts 186. The pressure applied to the side of the front chamber 185b retracts the shafts 186. The platform 188 with the prongs 189 (Figures 3 to 10 5A) is attached to the plate 187 and travels up and down in response to pressurization of a chamber of double-acting cylinder 182. In Figures 3 and 4, platforms 188a and 188c are shown fully extended downward in the vertical direction 181, and centrally located platform 188b is shown retracted upward. Tines 189 may act as a stop configured to be pressed against the stack of articles below one or more articles 12 that are being picked up or unloaded from the stack of articles 11 by manipulator 142. The prongs 189 can stabilize the stack of articles 11 below said one or more articles being unloaded or picked up. Platforms 188a-c can receive and support articles thereon. Platforms 188a-c are also configured to capture said one or more articles 12 as a row 15 taken from or unloaded from stack of articles 11, and to guide or move the unloaded row of articles on the body conveyor 130 of the pile of articles 11 or catch of it. As will be described below, platforms 188a-c can be used in different ways during loading and unloading.

Body conveyor 130 operates bi-directionally and attaches to movable body 120 within range of robotic arm 140. Body conveyor 130 moves items 12 toward robotic arm 140 during loading, and in the second, opposite direction, during loading. download. Figures 1 and 2 show the entire length of the body conveyor 130. An exchange zone 134 is located at the end of the conveyor closest to the robotic arm 140, to exchange items 12 between the conveyor 130 and the robotic arm 140. The exchange zone 134 may be the first position 16 for loading, and the second area 17 for unloading. During loading, a handler 142 picks up a row 15 of items 12 from the exchange zone 134 (first position 16 for loading), and from there 20, the handler 142 leaves the row 15 of items 12 on the trailer or truck 10 ( second position 17 for loading). During charging, the exchange zone 134 can act as an accumulator to accumulate incoming articles 12 in a complete row 15 of articles 12, for collection. During unloading, manipulator 142 grabs row 15 of articles 12 from trailer or truck 10 (first position 16), manipulator 142 moves it, and exchanges (leaves) row 15 of articles 12 on exchange zone 134 of the conveyor 130 (second position 130). The manipulator 142 5 can also drop articles in one position, and can pick up the same articles 12 from the same position.

Turning now to Figures 7 and 8, the body conveyor 130 may comprise rollers 131 supported by the outer rail 132 and the inner rail 133. The rollers 131 drive articles on the conveyor 130.

One or more of the rollers 131 can be a motorized roller, and can drive non-motorized rollers with O-bands, or belts. Or, the body conveyor 130 may use any other suitable conveyor drive 15 to move articles with it. In the interchange zone 134, the rollers 131 are spaced with spaces 135 between them, and the inner rail 133 includes cutouts 136 (see Figure 8) in the spaces 135. Spaces 135 and cutout areas 136 are both sized to receive tines 189 from manipulator 142, within and between them. The prongs 189 fit into the spaces 135 without mutual contact (see Figure 7). Sensors 137 can detect if an item 12 is present, and can be attached to outer rail 132. Rollers 131 can be used to move and position articles 12, at least, in exchange zone 134, in response to signals from sensors 137.

Figure 8 also shows several rollers 131 of the exchange zone 134, sectioned to reveal a series of loading forks 138 extending upwardly between the spaces 135 between rollers 131. Each loading fork 138 is operatively attached to a respective plunger. of forks 139 below the rollers 131, and each fork plunger 139 can be individually and pneumatically actuated. The fork plungers 139 move the extended portions of the loading forks 138 along the gaps 131 from the outer rail of the frame 132 toward the inner rail of the frame 133. The fork plungers 139 can be reversed to pull the forks load 138 against outer rail 132 after loading manipulator 142.

In Figure 9, the articles 12 are in the first or collection section 16, and ready to be unloaded from the exchange zone 134 with the manipulator 142. The robotic arm 140 has configured each head element 160a-c to a horizontal position. to fit the bottom of each item 12 of row 15 supported on the body carrier 130. In this view, the robotic arm is driving the manipulator 142 toward the pickup position shown in Figure 7, and the tines 189 of the platforms 188 are moving under row 15 of items 12. The fork plungers 132 are moving the pins. loading forks 138 and row 15 of items 12 toward manipulator 142. The suction cups 180 and rods 179 were extended prior to contact with the articles 12, by air at a positive pressure of 80 psi applied to the rear tube fittings 270, 272. Also prior to contact, the pressure was reduced to negative 5 psi, which is low enough to prevent the rods 179 from moving but allows the rods 179 to retract from contact with the vacuum cups 12. Additionally, vacuum may be applied to the vacuum cups 180 prior to contacting the items 12. In one embodiment, the electronics box 124 may connect to the 15 front tube fittings 270 and 272, and may include an anti-crush feature. 300 which prevents crush damage to articles 12 when suction cups 180 contact article 12 and the manipulator is moving towards articles 12. The anti-crush feature 300 disconnects the exchange of pressurized air with the rear tube fittings 270, 272, and when the vacuum cups 180 make contact with the items 12, the anti-crush feature prevents damage to the items 12 during collection . The anti-crush feature 300 is activated after the rods 179 and vacuum cups 180 are extended, and while the manipulator 142 is moving toward the identified items 12 for pickup. When the vacuum cups 180 contact the items 12, the contact independently retracts the rods 179 toward the mobile manipulator.

142 to prevent crushing of the articles 12. The anti-crush feature 300 also ensures that when an irregular row 15 of articles 12 presents irregular, concave, staggered or sloped front faces 112f 10 with the vacuum pad 180 and approaches the manipulator 142 , the rods 179 individually retract to different extents from the contact of the vacuum cups 180 with the irregular front faces 112f. As manipulator 142 moves to the position shown in Figure 7, platforms 188 and tines move under row 15 of items 12. Once manipulator 142 is in the position shown in Figure 7, the row of Items 12 are ready for pickup from exchange zone 134 which, for loading, may be the first position 16. The anti-crush feature 20 is shown in action in Figure 9 and Figures 16 to 18.

Figure 10 is an end view of a standard dimension trailer of truck 10 with a stack of items 11 extending from wall to wall and from the ground to near the ceiling, and represents the image taken by said by at least one vision camera 127 and used by the system control box 124 to determine an appropriate loading or unloading sequence based on loading and unloading rules and logic. Figure 10 shows the sides and zones used by the system control box 124 that can affect loading and unloading procedures in each zone and each side. These differences will be described in detail in the following together with the movements.

The stack of articles 11 comprises complete rows 15a of articles 12 that extend horizontally across the width of the truck, each complete row 15a comprising six articles 12. The articles 12 in each complete row 15a are shown as having the same height, and different complete rows 15 can have different heights. The manipulator 142 of the present invention can handle items 12 as rows 15 of three, and can take two loads 15 supplied by the manipulator 142 to compose a complete row 15a that extends from wall to wall through the truck 10 (see Figure 12B). Since each row 15 is half the width of truck 10, each row 15 of three items 12 is picked up or left on either the left side or the right side of truck 10. In the present invention, trucks 10 can be loaded from left to right and from floor to ceiling, as shown in Figures 11A to 15. Trucks 10 can be unloaded from left to right or right to left, in function of mixing articles of different height in the article stack and determining the proper discharge sequence with the best results. The steps of unloading a regular row 15 of articles of the same size 12 are shown in Figures 16 to 24, and the unloading of mixed irregular rows is shown in Figures 25 to 27.

In the vertical direction, the stack of cartons 11 has four vertical zones, a lower row, an upper row 15b and a zone A, and a zone B between them. Each of the four zones requires a slightly different pick or drop procedure, the differences depending on whether it is the right side or the left side. The system control box 124 uses an arbitrary dividing line that extends horizontally between zone A and zone B at a height of approximately 2/3 the height of truck 10. Below line 2/3 and above From the bottom row, a procedure may have robotic arm 140 tilted down to pick up or drop rows 15. Above the 2/3 line, robotic arm 140 may have procedures to work within the confines of truck 10. For example, the robotic arm 140 is tilted upward above the 2/3 line to avoid contact with the roof 10 of the trailer. Each different procedure will be described below. The bottom row and the top row have loading and unloading procedures that are different from zone A and zone B. For loading, the bottom row is the first full row 15a of the stack of cartons 11, and the top row is the last row 15 loaded. For the download, the top row is the first row downloaded and the bottom row is the last full row 15 downloaded.

Loading is done in stacks of articles 11 one article 12 deep, comprising complete rows 15a of articles 12 arranged from floor 18 to ceiling 10b. Once the stack of articles 11 is arranged with a depth 10 of an article 12, the autonomous unloading device 100 goes back and begins to deposit a new stack of articles 11 from floor to ceiling, opposite the first. This process continues until the truck is loaded. Moving on to the loading procedures, the loading procedure begins 15 with Figure 9, where a row 15 of juxtaposed items 12 is shown shortly before being loaded into the manipulator 142 in the exchange zone 134, which for loading is the first position 16. From the exchange zone 134 on the body conveyor 130, the row of articles 12 is attached 20 to the manipulator 142 by vacuum cups 180 and supported from below by ascending platforms 188a, 188b, and 188c in contact with the bottom of a respective item 12. Once row 15 of items 12 has been clamped and secured, the robotic arm and manipulator are moved to the position shown in Figure 11A.

In Figure 11A, the robotic arm 140 is driving the first row 15 of articles 12 to the left side of the 18th floor (second position 17). The first row 15 will be left on the left side of floor 18a next to a left wall 10b of truck 10. As shown, robotic arm 140 rapidly drives manipulator 142 and row 15 of articles 12 toward wall 10b. Before contacting wall 10b, row 15 of articles 12 and manipulator 142 are decelerated and rotated to a position parallel to floor 18 and 10 thereon. Robotic arm 140 brings row 15 of items 12 into alignment, vacuum is broken in vacuum cups 180, and rods 179 are extended to push row 15 out of platforms 188a-c and into position on floor 18a. While the row of articles 15 is being ejected from 15 the inclined platforms 188a-c, the manipulator 142 moves back and up. When the download is complete, the robotic arm 140 and manipulator 142 return to the exchange zone 134 for an additional row 15 of items 12.

Figures 11B and 12A show the loading procedure for placing the right row 15 of articles 12 on the lower right side of the lower row after picking up row 15 of articles from the exchange area 134. As shown in Figure 11B, row 15 of articles 12 is incorporated from the top, retaining the manipulator

142 a front face 112f of each item 12. The manipulator 142 and items 12 are lowered at an angle to contact the first row 15 of items 12 on the left side of the truck 10. Angled contact of the face 1121 exerts a wedging or pushing force against left row 15. The wedging force reduces the spacing between the items 12 in the lower left row 15 to ensure that adequate space is available for the placement of the lower right row 15. Once adequate space for loading has been obtained, row 15 of articles 12 straightens to be parallel with the right wall 10c of trailer 10, and is tilted nose down as shown in FIG. 12Ά. The rods 179 are then extended, the vacuum is broken for the vacuum cups 180, the manipulator 142 moves up and back, and the lower left row 15 moves into position off the platforms 188a-c. When the download is complete, the robotic arm 140 and manipulator 142 return to the exchange area 134 for a new row.

fifteen of articles 12. In FIG. 11B, the faces of one of the articles 12 are identified as front face 112f, rear face 112r, bottom face 112b, top face 112t, left face 1121 and right face 112rt. These face notations can be used elsewhere.

When the two rows 15 are loaded to create the bottom row, the loading procedure on the left side changes over the bottom row and below the top row. To load rows 15 onto the left side of truck 10 below the top row, robotic arm 140 and manipulator 142 move left row 15 to a raised and central position, and drive row 15 of items toward wall 10a and descending into position. The robotic arm moves manipulator 142 and row 15 toward the position shown in FIG. 12B, where tines 189 of platforms 188a-c make contact with row 15 of cartons 12 immediately below the placement position o second position 17. Once the tines 189 are in contact, the rods 179 are extended to push the row 15 of items 12 into position, the vacuum in the vacuum cups 180 is broken, and the manipulator 142 is pulled away from the newly placed left row. 15. Rods 179, vacuum cups 180, and manipulator 142 retract to retrieve the next row 15 from the body carrier 130. Above the 2/3 line in Figure 10, the robotic arm 140 tilts upward as shown in Figure 12B. Below the 2/3 line, the robotic arm tilts downward (see Figure 12A) during placement of a row 15 of items 12.

Figure 13 is a view towards a front wall 10b of truck 10, and shows the loading procedure when rows 15 are left on the right side of truck 10. Figure 13 applies to all rows 15 placed on the right side from 5 above the bottom row to the 2/3 line. In this view, the manipulator 142 is shown schematically while bringing the articles 12 from above, and rotated as shown, to contact the left row 15 with the face 121 of the leftmost article 12 in the manipulator 142. . When the right row 15 is lowered, the left row 15 is pushed or forced to the left to reduce the gap between items 12 of the left row 15 and to ensure that adequate space is available for the placement of the incoming right row 15 Once adequate space has been created, manipulator 142 and row 15 rotate to be parallel with the ground, and travel downward to the position shown in FIG. 12B. Once the tines 189 are in contact, the rods 179 are extended to push the row 15 of items 12 into position, the vacuum 20 is broken from the vacuum cups 180, and the manipulator 142 is pulled away from the right row just placed 15.

Figure 14 illustrates a top view showing the loading procedure when a new row 15 is dropped over a previously placed row 15 on the right side of truck 10, and above the 2/3 line. Above the line

2/3 and including the top row, it is difficult to have enough clearance to wedge or push the left row as shown in Figure 13, so that the pushing procedure is modified as shown. In Figure 14, manipulator 142 and row 15 are held horizontally and tilted, as shown. As row 15 is moved into position, the angle of inclination brings left face 112 into contact with left row 15 and imposes a biasing force on it. This creates the space 10 necessary to receive the right row 15. Once the space has been created, the manipulator 142 and row 15 rotate to fit therein, and move to their position shown in Figure 12B, where the row 15 is arranged to be inserted and the manipulator 142 removed.

Figure 15 shows a top view showing row 15 being supported by manipulator 142 and being inserted into the upper left row position, at an angle as shown. The top right row has not been placed and the entire top row is empty. Row 15 and 20 manipulator 142 are straightened to the position shown in FIG. 12B, and row 15 is pushed into position with rods 15. Once row 15 is in place, manipulator 142 is withdrawn and returned to exchange zone 134 for final upper right row 15. Upper right row 15 is inserted as shown in Figure 14 and with the same procedure as described above.

The autonomous loading device 100 can unload rows 15 of the stack of articles 11, from the ceiling 10 to the floor 18, 18a. Once the stack of articles 11 has been unloaded, the autonomous unloading device 100 continues to advance the truck 10 the length of a left side 1221 or a right side 112r, and unloads the next stack of articles 11 from the roof lOd to the 18th, 18th floor. This process continues until truck 10 has been unloaded.

Figure 16 shows the robotic arm 140 moving the manipulator 142 toward the stack of cartons 11 immediately prior to contacting a row 15 of items 15 with the vacuum cups 180. Based on the image taken with the camera 127 , the upper left row 15 is selected for removal. The selected row 15 of items is a horizontal homogeneous row of cardboard boxes of the same size 12, and the three individually movable head elements 160a, 160b and 160c are configured in a horizontal configuration as shown, to fit the horizontal row selected 15 at first position 16. Each of the individually movable platforms 188a-c moves upward to the raised position shown by platform 188b of FIG. 3.

As shown in Figure 17, all of the suction cups 180 and rods 179 of the manipulator 142 are being extended by applying a raised positive air pressure of approximately 80 psi to each of the rear fittings 270, 272 to tubes of each of the double-acting cylinders 178. The front tube fittings 271, 273 are open to atmosphere to allow the rods to move without compressive resistance until the rods 179 are fully extended. After the rods 179 and vacuum cups 180 are fully extended, the pressure at the rear tube fittings 270, 272 can be reduced to approximately 5 psi, and a pressure of 5 psi is applied to the front tube fittings 271, 273 . When all the front and rear pressure fittings 270 to 273 are at 5 psi, the rear tube fittings 270, 272 can be opened to atmosphere 179. As the manipulator 142 moves toward the items 12, the vacuum cups 180 contact with row 15 of articles 12 selected on the front surfaces 112f thereof, and overcomes friction in the extension cylinders 178. The rods 179 are removed from contact and prevent crushing or deterioration of the items 12. Vacuum can be applied to the vacuum cups 180 before they contact the items 12. In figure 17, the individually offset platforms 188 ac are shown all descended along the vertical arrow

181 to the downward extended position shown by platforms 188a and 188c of Figure 3.

In Figure 18, the movement of the manipulator 142 has stopped when the prongs 189 of the platforms 188a-c contact the front faces 112f of the row 15 of articles 12 directly below the row 15 selected for extraction. The stopping point can be determined from the snapshot, or with a sensor or contact switch. Contact of the prongs 189 with the stack of articles 11 acts as a stop to provide a holding force (see arrow under the prongs 189) that holds the wall of the article 11 in position during the removal of the articles 12 from the stack. of articles 11.

As shown in Figure 19, the wall of articles 11 is held in position with the stops or prongs 189 while the rods 179 and suction cups 180 are retracted with high pressure air. The retraction of the rods 179 and the vacuum cups 180 drags the selected row 15 out from the stack of articles 11.

In Figure 20, the manipulator 142 is raised and rotated to tilt the row 15 of articles 12, as shown. The front faces 112f of the articles 12 are securely held or gripped by the manipulator 142 by the vacuum cups 180, with sufficient force to lift at least a portion of the articles 12 therewith. The clamped front face 112f of the articles 12 is raised with the manipulator 142, while a lower edge of the rear surface 112r remains in contact with the stack of articles 11 to create an inclined space between them. Each of the platforms 188a-c remains extended downward along vertical 181 to act as the stopper that holds the stack of articles 11 in place.

In Figure 21, these are raised to the position shown when the manipulator 142 is raised upward (see arrow 10 on the left side). Platforms 188a-c rise to contact a bottom face 112b of the articles 12 in order to prevent the articles 12 from falling and to provide additional lifting support. In some cases, the article 12 may be supported entirely in the air by the contact of the vacuum cups 180 with the front face 112f before the platforms 188a-c rise to contact the bottom face 112b of the articles 12. The platforms 188a-c and the tines 189 are a combination of platform 188 and stop 189 used to retain in position the stack of 20 articles 11 and to receive articles 12 thereon, as described and explained in patent application no. provisional number 14 / 279.694 mentioned above, entitled ROBOTIC CARTON UNLOADER, filed on May 6, 2014, pending, and assigned to the assignee thereof and which is expressly incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.

In Figure 22A, manipulator 142 has been tilted to a new position as shown, fully lifting the items 12 in row 15 without contacting the stack of items 11. In this view, manipulator 142 is moving away stack of items 11. Vacuum cups 180 and platforms 188a-c securely hold row 15 of items 12. The robotic arm 140 can then move the manipulator 142 away from this first position 16 and into the second position 17 on the exchange area 134 of the body carrier 130, as shown in Figure 22B. Once the articles 12 are on the conveyor 130, the articles 12 can be transported out of the truck 10 with the conveyor 130 and the extendible conveyor 190. The loading process described above is used to unload all items 12 from the stack of cartons, with the exception of the bottom row 15 of items 12 which is resting on one of the floors 18, 18a.

To unload items 12 from the bottom row (not shown), platforms 188a-c move to the fully up position shown by platform 188b in Figure 3. Handler 142 moves to a position above the floor and front to the selected row 15, in a nose-down position, with the vacuum cups 180 extended and the vacuum for the cups 180 connected. Vacuum cups 180 are angularly displaced towards items 12 in row 15 until contacting 5 front faces 112f items. Rods 179 and vacuum cups 180 retract fully rearward to pull items 12 onto manipulator 142 while platforms 188a-c are dropped below incoming items 12. When the rods 179 and the vacuum cups 10 180 are fully retracted, the platforms 188ac are raised to contact the bottom faces 112b of the row of articles 12, and the row 15 is picked up, moved and left on the zone of exchange 134.

Figures 23 to 27 show how the manipulator 142 of 15 of the present invention is configurable to adapt to each of the items 12 in the first position 16 to pick them up, and is reconfigurable to adapt the manipulator 142 and the picked items 12 to the second. position 17 before leaving the articles 12. For unloading, the first position is the 20 irregular article stack 11, and the second position is the exchange area 134 of the body conveyor 130. Prior to Figure 23, the camera 127 has imaged the irregular stack of cartons 11 and the system control box 124 has identified the edges of the items 12 and the position 25 of the stack of items 11 relative to the robotic arm 140.

From that information, the system control box 124 determines the next appropriate download sequence. Based on the snapshot, the three individually movable head elements 160a, 160b and 160c were first configured vertically to accommodate the irregular row of cartons 12a-12c in the upper left row 15 (first position 16).

Figure 23 is an isometric view of trailer 11 with stack of items 11 being unloaded. Figure 24 is an enlarged view of Figure 23 showing a top isometric view of manipulator 142 and cartons 121, 12b, and 12c. Figure 25 is an isometric view of the underside of Figure 24. As shown in Figures 23, 24 and 25, the robotic arm 140 has moved the manipulator 15 142 into contact with the items 12a-12c of the selected row 15 on the upper left side of the stack of items 11. Next, the manipulator 142, using the carton removal process shown in Figures 16 through 19 and described above, moves the irregular row 20 of items 12a-12c partially out of the stack of items, as shown. in Figure 23. The prongs 189 of the platforms 188 are stabilizing the articles 12 below the selected row 15 of articles 12a-12c.

Figure 26 shows manipulator 142 removed from stack 25 of articles 11 and showing individually displaced head elements 160a-c attached to respective articles 12a-c. The silhouette of each of the items 12a, 12b and 12c is shown, and each item 12a-c has a different height. For example, it can be seen that the back face of article 12c has a lower height than the back faces 112f of articles 12b and 12a. The vertical configuration of each of the individually movable head elements 160a, 160b · and 160c can be seen through the items 12a, 12b, 12c in dotted line.

The movable head elements 160a, 160b, and 160c were configured vertically based on the snapshot information prior to picking up the irregular row 15 of articles 12a-12c. In this view, it can be seen that the bottom of each item 12a-12c is the same vertical distance below the vacuum cups 180.

In FIG. 27, manipulator 142 has reconfigured row 15 of articles 12a-12c to have all of the individually movable head elements 160a, 160b, and 160c reconfigured in a horizontal line. Moving the individually movable head elements 160a, 160b, and 160c to horizontal also moves the lower portions of the articles 12a-12c to a horizontal line. With the bottoms of row 15 of articles 12a-12b in a horizontal line, row 15 is reconfigured to be deposited on exchange area 134 (second position 17) of body carrier 130 (see FIG. 22B) and from there, transported out of truck 10. A snapshot of swap area 134 is not required, since the location of swap area 134 is constant with respect to robotic arm 140. Scanners 137 can be used in exchange area 134 to inform the system control box 124 when the exchange area is free and ready to receive another row 15.

One or more of the procedures described above can be performed on a computer-readable device containing computer-readable code, such that a series of functional processes are carried out when the computer-readable code is executed on a computer device. In some implementations, certain steps of the procedures are combined, performed simultaneously or in a different order, or perhaps omitted, without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, although the methods have been described and shown in a particular sequence, the use of a specific sequence of functional processes does not imply any limitation on the invention. Changes can be made in relation to the sequence of processes, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the use of a particular sequence is not to be considered in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

Therefore, it should be noted that, as used in this description and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an, and the, the, include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to a coloring agent includes two or more such agents.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as normally understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs. Although a number of methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be utilized in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and procedures are described herein.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the methods and compositions of the invention substantially reduce or eliminate the disadvantages and disadvantages associated with the prior art methods and compositions.

It should be noted that, when used in the present invention, the terms comprise, comprising and other derivatives of the stem term comprise are intended to be indeterminate terms specifying the presence of any indicated characteristics, elements, integers, steps or components, and they are not intended to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other characteristics, elements, integers, stages, components, or groups thereof.

As required, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the invention, which can be carried out in various ways. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be construed as limiting, but only as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one of ordinary skill in the art to use the present. invention in various ways, virtually, in any suitably detailed structure.

While it is apparent that the illustrative embodiments disclosed herein accomplish the above stated objectives, it will be appreciated that one skilled in the art can envision many modifications and other embodiments. Accordingly, it will be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and embodiments that fall within the scope of the present invention.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the method known to the applicant for carrying out the aforementioned invention is the one that is clear from the description of the invention.

best practice present